Peak Purity Assessments in Chrmatography: A Case Study of Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride

This work examines the applicability of different peak purity and/or homogeneity deconvolution algorithms for the evaluation of chromatographic purity and/or homogeneity in chlorpromazine hydrochloride, in the order of the algorithm\'s increasing complexity. The methods are examined for usefulness with a view to possible routine application in a busy quality assurance laboratory include chromatographic peak assessment, spectral normalization, absorbance ratios and chromatographic derivatives. Key Words: Chlorpromazine hydrochloride, chlorpromazine impurities and chromatographic peak purity. East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol.5(3) 2002: 55-5

Public Expenditure in the Social Sector and Economic Growth in Kenya

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of public expenditure in the social sector on economic growth in Kenya. To this end, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modeling framework was used to disentangle the economic growth effects of public expenditure in the social sector into short-run and long-run. The study focused on expenditure on three sectors that are relevant for human capital development namely, education, health, and social security. The results showed that education had a positive short-run and long-run effects on real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Health and social security expenditure, on the other hand, appeared to dampen economic growth. In light of these findings, the study calls for improved expenditure on education. Further, public expenditure in the health and social security sub-sectors should be channeled to productive investments. Keywords: Kenya, expenditure, education, health, social securit

Perceptions of Interns Performance: A Comparison between a Problem Based and a Conventional Curriculum

Background: Medical education is changing. Increasingly, there are calls for major curriculum reform based on premises of what might improve undergraduate medical education. Against this background, innovative methods of teaching and learning have emerged. Problem-based and student-centered approaches are increasingly being adopted with less reliance on the conventional didactic lecture forums. Objective: To compare the effects of two different instructional methods (problem based learning and conventional teaching), on the professional competencies of preregistration house officers (PRHOs) or interns, as perceived by the graduates themselves and their clinical supervisors. Design: A cross-sectional survey design was used to identify a causal relationship between the method of instruction and ratings on outcome for two different groups. Setting: Selected medical board-accredited internship training centres throughout the country. Subjects: Interns from Moi and Nairobi Universities who qualified in the academic year 2002/2003 and thus completed their internship in August/September 2004. For the supervisors, they needed to have supervised at least four groups of interns. Results: Graduates from Moi University perceived themselves to be more prepared for two of the nineteen broad competencies and six of the twelve specific skills listed. The clinical supervisors perceived Moi graduates as better prepared in four of the broad competencies. They found no significant differences for any of the specific skills. Conclusion: Overall, the study showed that Moi University graduates, felt and are perceived as better prepared for their role as interns. The differences in curriculum contribute significantly to these findings.East African Medical Journal Vol. 87 No. 7 July 201

Secondary School Students’ Mastery of Integrated Science Process Skills in Siaya County, Kenya

The study investigated secondary school students’ mastery of Integrated Science Process Skills (ISPS) among co-educational schools and the influence of grade level, gender, and school location in Siaya County, Kenya. The study used a causal-comparative design with purposive sampling technique. A 30-item Test of Integrated Science Process Skill (TISPS) developed by Kazeni (2005) was administered. The instrument assesses the skills of controlling variables, defining operationally, formulating hypotheses, experimenting and interpreting data. The instrument was administered to 429 students, 117, 108, 101 and 103 in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively drawn from one urban co-educational school (n = 215) and one rural co-educational school (n = 214). The data were analyzed by grade level using one-way ANOVA and by gender and school location using an independent sample t-test. The findings indicated moderate mastery of ISPS and statistically significant grade level differences between grades 9 and 10, 10 and 11, 11 and 12, 9 and 11, 9 and 12, and 10 and 12; Gender differences in favor of boys and school location differences in favor of urban school students in mastery of ISPS. The following conclusions are made with regard to integrated science process skills: Mastery of ISPS increases with grade level; boys have a higher mastery of ISPS than girls; the urban school has a higher mastery of ISPS than the rural school. Implications for practice and further research are herein explicated

Trapping mosquitoes using milk products as odour baits in western Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ample evidence has shown that blood seeking mosquitoes locate their hosts by following odours produced by the hosts. Odour baited traps would therefore, provide a solution in controlling diseases spread by mosquitoes. Comparative studies were undertaken to determine the relative efficacies of two odour baits i.e. Limburger cheese and African traditional milk cream in trapping mosquitoes in the field in western Kenya.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Comparative efficacy studies were carried out in the field using Latin square experimental designs. In the first study, a counterflow geometry (CFG) trap (MM-x model; American Biophysics Corp., USA.) baited with Limburger cheese, man landing catches (MLC), Centres for Disease Control (CDC) light trap and an entry trap were compared. In the second study, three CFG traps baited with either Limburger cheese, African traditional milk cream or with no bait were compared and in the third study four CDC traps baited with either Limburger cheese, African traditional milk cream, light or with no bait were compared. Parameters like species, catch size, abdominal status, parity status and size of the collected mosquitoes were compared.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1,806 mosquitoes were collected (60% <it>An. gambiae s.l </it>and 25% <it>An.funestus</it>, culicines 15%). There was no significant difference in the number of <it>An. funestus </it>trapped by the CFG trap baited with Limburger cheese from those trapped by the MLC (P = 0.351). The Limburger cheese baited CFG trap collected significantly more gravid <it>An. funestus </it>than the MLC (P = 0.022). Furthermore, when the CFG trap baited with Limburger cheese and the CFG trap baited with milk cream were compared, there was no significant difference in the number of <it>An. funestus </it>collected (P = 0.573). The same trend was observed in the comparison of Limburger cheese baited CDC trap and milk cream baited CDC trap.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Limburger cheese and African traditional milk cream have a potential as effective odour baits for sampling/surveillance and as oviposition attractants for the malaria vector, <it>Anopheles funestus</it>.</p

Design of (phenoxy)imine palladium complexes as homogeneous and immobilized catalysts for methoxycarbonylation of olefins.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Abstract available in pdf